Wheeled gun carriage



1935- N. E. METHLIN WHEELED GUN CARRIAGE Filed Dec. 5, 1952 13 Sheets-Sheet 1 N. E. METHLIN WHEELED GUY CARRIAGE Feb. 12, 1935.

Filed Dec. 5, 1952 15 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 N. E. METHLIN WHEELED GUN CARRIAGE Filed Dec. 5, 1932 13 Sheets-Sheet 3 JIIIIIl/IIl/Q i II is??? Feb. 12, 1935. N. E. MTHLlN 1,990,951

WHEELED GUN CARRIAGE Filed Dec. 5, 1952 l3 Sheets-Sheet 4 Feb. 12, 1935. N METHUN WHEELED GUN CARRIAGE Filed Dec. 5, 1932 13 Sheets-Sheet 5 Feb. 12, 1935. N. E. METHLIN WHEELED GUN CARRIAGE Filed Dec. 5, 1952 13 Sheds-Sheet 6 Feb. 12, 1935. N E. M ETHLIN 1,990,951 I WHEELED GUN CARRIAGE Filed Dec. 5, 1932 15 shegts-sheet 7 &

Quin/mull.

Feb. 12, 1935. N. E. METHLIN WHEELED GUN CARRIAGE,

Filed Dad. 5, 1932 15 sheets-sh eet 8 Feb. 12, 1935. v N. E. METHLIN 1,990,951

WHEELED GUN CARRIAGE Filed Dec.- 5, 1932 15 Sheets-Sheet 9 Feb. 12, 1935. N. E. METHLIN WHEELED GUN CARRIAGE Filed Dec. 5, 1932 15 Sheets-Sheet l0 Feb. 12, 1935. E, METHUN 1,990,951

WHEELED GUN CARRIAGE Filed Dec. 5, 1952 15 Sh eets-Sheet 11 cl 11 J a .11-

111, 1 -1: I 9 1" IlXYHI b I 1"}. i

WWMQ/QQZQZW N. E. METHLIN 1,990,951

WHEEIJED GUN CARRIAGE Filed Dec. 5, 1932 13 Sheets-Sheet 12 Feb. 12, 1935.

I'l H I I H M m 1 i LWM,

Feb. 12, 1935. N, E. METHLIN 9 r WHEELED GUN CARRIAGE Filed Dec, 5, 1952 1:5 Sheets-She et 13 Patented Feb. 12, 1935 l of France 7- icolas Emits Meth lin, "Paris; France, assignori toSchneider & Cie, Paris;

France, a company Application December 5, 1932; serial fleet 5,823 V i, In'FranceEebru'ary 25 19 321 t.

; 18 Claims. (01, 89-40) In my application for'rU. S.'LettersPatent filed onwJune 30,-1932 (Serial Number, 620,272), for Improvements in wheeled gun carriages; there is described and: represented awheeled gun carriage of the split trail type which, with orwithout theaidf oibne {or more auxiliary; trails, is adapted to be, rapidly; convertediinto anaemiaircraft'gun carriage; The equipment for firing on wheels ithus haSga horizontal "field'f of fire which; is fairly wide; but is ;limited to the angle of spread betweenthetwolegsof: the main trail,

and a considerable v ertical field'offire due to the space deft free between'the; two "legs of the split trail. whenconverted by lowering the legs tof the split traill and removing the wheels or the set of wheels; as, we l a by addingvone or more auxiliary trails, the equipment has a V horizontalfield of fireenabling a'completaturn of the horizon to be made. In, additionthe .verti a1 field. fire is sufiiciently high for firing against aerial objectives. a It v was pointedout in that prior iapplication that conversionlwas rendered possible by the 'fact that the legs of the splittrail were {so adaptedthat thesaid trail legscould bebroug h-t, even simultaneously, either, by individual .or couI- pled action, alternatively into; a position with the, head raised, in which the system of the said trail legs is arranged for travelling ,or for-nor:-

mal firingon wheels, for i nto a position-w dth the {head lowered, n wh s h rqs t oru hep c ati gun and cradle, during the movement of-. the top carriage in' its pintle bearing, is able to pass over h tem of t a l ss q er high 1 5 an ofelevationf It has now i been found that, the principle underlying this convection of an equipment on wheels into an anti-aircraft equipment adapted to traverse the entire horizon may beapplied to wheeled equipments of the single-trail type,

on condition of; course a that the mu proper,

provided with the normal anchoringispade and with or without the t normal coupling trail eye,

supports or auxiliary trails.

has associated with it a suitable m r Q The present invention has" forfi t s 655m to provide single-trail wheeled equipments adapted to be converted in this manner by, the appliv cation of the principle utilizedfortheconversion ofwheeled equipment with splittrailac cording to the aforesaid prior application;

As in the equipmentdisclosed-. in the aforeline XI-IH in Figure 8;

said priorapplication, the conversion is effected by lowering the single main trail, themeans -for f e in su w r n l s ng; mprspyet som wha ,;s1m1a to those previousn indicated for effecting the individual lowering of each of the legs of the split trail systems in the equip ,ments according to the said-prior application.

Howevensince the present invention is concerned with single-trail ratherthan split trail equipment, another object is (to.- provide new andimproved means for associating therewith thelnecessaryeplurality of auxiliary trails when the gun is in position; for anti-aircraft firing.

Yarious constructional examples" of a con Vvertible singleetrail equipmentiaccording to the I invention are represented in the accompanying drawings, -wherein ,IFig'ure 1' shows in" side sectional elevation. a convertible single-trail.* equipment, comprising in addition tothe normal or m'ain trail for firing on wheels andio'r limbering up, two auxiliary trails fo the converted equipment; one of the auxiliary trails and the'normalfor main. trail its bottom pos'ition' being shownfindot-anddashflines, lwhile the single traili for'flnormal firing on wheels shown full lines; ,QFigure 2' is a'corresponding plan;

"Fi uref3 is 'a part sectional elevation taken along thejline III 'III inFigure' 2; V f

Figure 4'is a sectional lan taken along the 'line IVQQIY in Figure3;

Figure] 5 'i s,a side sectionalfelevation of another construction showing the convertible equipment in ja position'for firing on wheels with the main trail anchored tothe ground, and two auxiliary trails not being used and closedv up against themain trail;v

' a Figure 6 is a corresponding part plan view, the

top carriage and the' oscillating cradle and gun being supposed to have been removed; I l

Figure 7 shows in sectional elevation the converted equipment "put in battery position for'the jThese andotherobjects will appear more fully from a considerationofthe detailed, description 10f the invention which renews;

operations of" firing against aircraft, the set of wheelsswhichhave been removed, being shown udot-and-dash, lines ,Fig'urefS 'is a sectional plantaken along the line VIII--VIII, in Figure 7; i V Figure 9is a view takenalong the line IX-IX inFigure'7; j i 1 Figure-Q10 is a sectionallelevation taken along theline X-:'X in Figure 8';

Figure 11, is a part elevation taken along the Figures 12 aridliIS show in part elevation and plan 'a modificationLot the arrangement for the sponding part sectional plan, the section' being taken along the line XVII-XVII in Figure 16.

Figure 18 is a part section taken along the line XVIIIXVIII in Figure 16. 7

Figures 19 to 21 show a, modification of the connecting device between'the head of the main trail which is adapted to be lowered, and the pintle bearing carried by the axle, Figure 19 being a part sectional elevation of the converted equipment in battery position, while Figures 20 and-2 1 are sections taken respectively along the lines XX-XX and XXI-XXI in Figure $19.

The wheeled, single-trail equipment, represented in these various figures, comprises in known manner a set of wheels (axle aand wheels 1), b) of which the axle-a carries acarriage head which" may be constituted by arms a carrying in their turn a pintle bearing a servingas pedestal for a top carriage c in which the cradle e is adapted'to betdisplaced for elevating movements by means of the trunnions e ,-the gun i being adapted to recoil in the said cradle. With aview to converting the equipment, provision is made for the-possibility of separatingthe arms a? from the pintle bearing (1, in which the said arms fit,"

the coupling between the said arms and the pintle bearing being normally ensured, for example, by means of locking bolts 61 "passing through eyes in the arms a and fitting .in recesses provided in the pintle bearing d. The usual normal main trail g is adapted tobe displaced, by rotation, sliding or any other form of displacement, relative'to the pintle bearing d, permitting the said trail to be brought alternatively into a raisedjposition for firing on wheels or for travelling, and into a lowered position for the conversion of the wheeled equipment into an equipment for firing against aerial objectives.

The various forms of construction represented in the drawings mainly differ in the form of construction of the coupling or association" between the trail adapted to be, lowered and the pintle bearing in which the top carriage pivots. These forms of construction differ in a'subordinate manner in the means provided for attaching auxiliary trails to the convertible equipment, the saidauxiliary'trails being indispensable for the equipment converted for firing against aerial objectives.

In the example show 1 Figures '1 to 4 in- Qclusive, the main trail 9, or the trail proper, comprises ahead g in the'form of a projection below the trail body, considered inthe position it occupies on the non-converted equipment (fullline view in Figure 1)} The said head -carries projecting from it atrunnion g for which a seat is provided in the pintle bearing d, the geometrical axis of thesaid trunnion coinciding with sponding lug d such coupling being effected by means of a detachable pin it.

The equipment thus constituted may be employed for firing on Wheels and for being placed in the battery position indicated in full lines in Figure 1, the anchoring of the trail foot being effected, .for example, by means of an ordinary short trail foot spade g and, if desired by means of a sliding-spade, this being chiefly necessary for firing with the equipment converted.

In order to convert the equipment, the trail is lowered by'rotating it-to bring it from the full line positionl, into the dot-and-dash position 2 shown on thev same figure. For this purpose, it is necessary,--of course, to withdraw the pin 71 beforehand, the said-pin being retained in any suitable point; for example on the trail head by means of a short chain. The trail g having been brought into the position 2, the supports or auxiliary trails i which may be hinged at i to a common head a, are placed-in'posit'ion. The head? is provided with projections or lugs 7' and 9' for attaching it to the pintle bearing 11 and to the trail head'g respectively, by means of pins 7c and h. 1 The supports i which were brought together for travelling (position I in Figure- 2) are then spread apart into the position :11 and attached by ties i to the head a placed in position, as shown in full lines in Figure 4 and in dot-and-dash lines in Figure 2. It is now merely necessary to remove the set of'wheels which, after withdrawal of the bolts d}, are rolled away, the wheels passing over the supports i. The equipment is thus prepared for firing against aerial objectives. Figure 1 shows thatthe oscillating gun and cradle is able, in all aiming positions of'the field or fire'of 360? to pass over the main trail g an'd the auxiliary trails or supports 2'. q 7 V V For the transport of the equipment, the reverse ties i being folded on them, the head 7' is disengaged after withdrawing the pins 7c and h and then the main trail 9 is raised by rotation, the pin it being-replaced in the full-line position it occupies in Figure 1; Of course, during this operation of raising the trail 9, the equipment must be kept in equilibrium'about the axle, as was necessaryduring the operation of lowering the trail, by lowering the chase of the gun or the front part of the cradle.

The auxiliarytrails, like themainltrail, may be anchored by means of sliding spades, a recess ber ;ered',-c'omprises a head g of C-shaped cross-section'co'nstituting a slide block movable on guides 12 in the form of projections on the pintle bearing d. The said guides, like the slideways in the trail head, are of course arcuate and have their centre in the vicinity of the trail foot (Figure 5). In the position for firing on wheels, that is to say, in the top position of the head g as shown in Figure 5, the'said head is fixed to a pintle hearing d by means of a pin it engaging a corresponding recess provided in a projection d on the said pintle bearing. l

In order to lower the-trail g with a view to con verting the equipment, the pin it is disengaged, thehead "g is allowed to slide on the; guidesuor ribs d -and the traillg is fixed by gmeansi'of the 1 This constructionalform alsoidiffers from the. a preceding construction by. the arrangement of the auxiliary trails'and the head'g o.

Asshown in the drawings, three auxiliary trails are provided'in this construction, twoof which are carriedpermanently by the main trail. Each of thesetrails comprisesa trail body i hinged by one end to anarcuate fslide block 2' movable in a guideway ofcorresponding shape provided in the head g of the main trail 9''. The object of making the trail elernenti movable is to permit of. the adjustmenton more. or less uneven ground, of .thesupport of. the'rear end of the spade on the said ground: Ihe displacement of the slide block 2' for this adjustment may .be effected, as shown in the by means of. a nut 2' (Figures 8, 10 and 11) which is integral with'i and is caused to move forwarder backward by turning a screwthreaded rod g7 journalledin the trail head 9 For travelling; thetrails .i z"are-folded against the main trail g by'rota-ting. them about their hinges, as shown in Figure5. The lower converted carriage is completed by an auxiliary trail, arranged in line with the main trail g and pro.- vided with a heady which is coupled to the pintle bearing by meansoi the pin is, and to the main trail g by means of the pin'h, (Figures 7 and 8).

Figures 12 and;13 show a modification of the construction just described. In this modification,

the lowering of thermain trail 9, instead of being effected by simply sliding the head g on the, pintle bearing d, is eiiected by a pinion g journalled on the said; head, rolling on an arcuaterack 12 formed on a projectionon the pintle'bearing d. The pinion g is actuated'by means of a hand wheel g In all other respects, this construction is identical with that; shown in Figuresto 11.

The construction shown in Figures 14 m 19 inclusive isa modification of that shown in Figures 1 to 4.

In this constructional example, the displacement of the main trail, g, in its lowering and raissented, this coupling member is constituted by two side plates m mounted one, pin d? carried by the pintle bearing, and on the pins 9 carried by the trail head 9 (Figure 17) The side plates m are adapted to be brought as a whole alternatively, into the position they occupy in Figures 14 and 15, and into that they occupyin Figures 16 and 17.

"In the position shown in Figures 14 and 15, which is that corresponding to normalfiring on wheels, the side plates in are fixed to the trail g by a pin m the trail a, moreover, being connected to the pintle bearing by pins (i Y a I In order to lower the trail, the pins d" and the pin m are disengaged, It is then possible to manipulate the, trail 9, the side plates m turning together about the pivots d" and'g and to bring these side: plates" into the position they occupy in Figures 1.6 and 17,. inwhieh they are fixed to the pintle bearing (1 by a pin m engaging holes m in the plates and the corresponding orifices d in the pintle bearing. 'Ihe pinm having fected in exactly the same manner been previously. disengaged, serves to fix the side plates to the trail g by being fitted into the holes m of the side plates m and inserted into a corresponding hole in the trail head 9 The attachment of. the auxiliary trails. 2', means of the head y is efiected in exactly. the samemanner as in the example shown in Figuresl to 5.

Figures 19 to 21 show another modification of the construction shown in' Figures 1 to 5.

twodiametrically opposite toothed guides d in theform of projections on .the pintle bearing (2. Sliding is effected by meansof two pinions 9' journalled in the trail head 9 and actuated either by simultaneously .manipulated manual means g as shown in Figure 20, orby. means of a single drive and transmission gear terminating at the two pinions. The attachment of the auxiliary trailsi by means of the head 9'. is efas in the example shown in Figures 1 to 5.

Itshould be pointed out that for all these arrangements it is normal to fire in single trail, whether the main trail is in the top position or in the bottom position, the first permitting fire to be opened more rapidly and the second giving a bettervertical field of fire;

It should also be noted that in the arrangement indicated in Figures 19, Zr), 2l,'it is only possible to fire with the trail g in the top posi tion, if an inclination of the pivot is allowed.

1. In a gun carriage, a pintle bearing, an oscillating gunand cradle pivotally mounted on said bearing,..transportation means detachably connected to said bearing, a single main trail having a head secured to said bearing; means for raising and lowering saidtrail head relative to said bearing froma normal raised posit-ion for firing with said transportation means in place to a lowered emplaced position with the transportationmeans removed for anti-aircraft firing, said means being so constructed and arranged that the movements of said trail. are accomplished without afiecting the position of the oscillating gun and cradle with respect to the ground and without disconnecting said trail from said bearing, a plurality of auxiliary trails, and neans vforsecuring said auxiliary trails toa portion of the gun carriage that is fixed during firing when the main trail is in lowered position, both said main and said auxiliary trails being so located when in emplaced position as to permit said osoil- I whereby said trail leg may be quickly moved, I

without affecting the position of said oscillating gun and cradle relative to the ground, from a normal raised position for firing with said transportation means in place to a lowered emplaced position with the transportation means removed for anti-aircraft firing, a plurality of auxiliary trails, and means for securing said auxiliary trails to said maintrailin spreadposition when the latter is in lowered'p'osition, both said main and said auxiliary trails being so located when in emplaced position as to permit said oscillating gun and cradle to pivot freely thereabove for firing at aerial objectives at any altitude and azimuth. a

3. In a gun carriage, a pintle bearing,'an oscillating gun and cradle pivotally mounted on said bearing, transportation means detachably connected to said bearing, a single main trail leg having a head adapted to be secured to said bearing and afoot adapted tocengage'the ground, means for securing said trail head to said bearing for pivotal movement relative,theretoabout an axis slightly inclined to the horizontal, means for securing said trail foot to said trail leg for pivotal movement about an axis'substantially coaxial with said first named axis, whereby said trail leg may be quickly. moved, without affecting the position of said oscillating gun and cradle relative to' the ground, from a normal raised position for firing with said transportation means in place to a lowered emplaced position with the transportation means removed for anti-aircraft firing, a plurality of auxiliary trails, and means for securing said auxiliary trails to saidmain trail in spread position when the latter is in lowered position, both said main and said auxiliary trails being so located when in emplaced position as to permit said oscillating gun and cradle to pivot freely thereabove for firing at aerial objectives at any altitude and azimuth.

i. In a gun carriage, a pintle bearing, an oscillating gun and cradle pivotally mounted on said bearing, transportation means detachably connected to said bearing, a single main trail adapted to be secured to said bearing, means for securing said trail to said bearing in a plurality of different positions relative thereto including an intermediate member pivotally mounted on said bearing and a pivotal connection between said intermediate member and said traiL'whereby said trail may be quickly moved,-without afiecting the position of said oscillating gun and cradle relative to the ground, from a normal raised position for firing with said transportation means in place to a lowered emplaced position with the transportation means removed for anti-aircraft firing, a plurality of auxiliary trails, and means pivot freely thereabove forfiring at aerial objectives at any altitude and azimuth.

5. In a gun carriage, a pintle bearing, an oscillating gun and cradle pivotally mounted'on said bearing, transportation means detachably connected to said bearing, a single main trail adapted to be secured to said bearing, means for securing said trail to said bearing in a plurality of difierent positions relative thereto including an intermediate link member pivotally mounted on said'bearing for movement about a substantially horizontal axis and a pivotal connection between said intermediate member and said trail having its axis substantially parallel to said first named axis, whereby said 'trail may be quickly moved, without affecting the position of said oscillating gun and cradle relative to the ground, from a normal raised position for fir-' plurality of auxiliary trails, and means for securing said auxiliary trails to said main trail in spread position when the latter is in lowered position, both saidmain and said auxiliary trails be-' ing so located when in'emplaced position as to permit said oscillating gun and cradle to pivot freely thereabove for firing at aerial objectives at any altitude and azimuth.

.6. In a gun carriage, a pintle bearing, an oscillating gun and cradle pivotally mounted on said bearing, transportation means detachably connected to said bearing, a single main trail adapted 'to be secured tosaid bearing, means for 'securing said trail to said bearing in a plurality of difierent positions relative thereto including a slide guide carried by said bearing, a trail head secured tosaid trail and slidably engaging said 7 slide guide and means for maintaining said trail head in a plurality of positions relative to'said guide, whereby said trail may be quickly moved, without affecting the position of said oscillating gun and cradle relative to the ground, from a normal raised position for firing with said :transportation means iniplace to a lowered emplaced position with the transportation means removed for anti-aircraft firing a plurality of auxiliary trails, and means for securing said auxiliary trails .ed to be secured to said bearing, means for securing said'trail to said bearing in a plurality of different positions relative thereto including, an

arcuate slide guide carried by said bearing and,

havingits center of curvature substantially coincidental with the point of engagement of said trail with the ground, a trail head secured to said trail; and slidably engaging said slide guide and means for maintaining said trail head in a plurality of positions relative to said guide, where by said trail may be quickly moved, without affecting theposition of said oscillating gun and cradle'relative to the ground, from a normal raised position for firing with said transportation means in place to a lowered emplaced position with the transportation means removed for anti-aircraft firing, a plurality of auxiliary trails, and means for securing said auxiliary trails to said main trail in spread position when the latter is in lowered positiornboth said main and said auxiliary trails being so located when in emplaced position as to permit said oscillating gun and cradle to pivot freely thereabove for firing at aerial objectives at any altitude and azimuth.

8. In a gun carriage, a pintle bearing, an oscillating gun and cradle pivotally mounted on said bearing, transportation means detachably coned to be secured to said bearing, means-for'securing said trail to said bearing in a plurality of different positions relative thereto including a pair of slide guides carried on opposite sides of said bearing and each provided with teeth constituting a rack and a trail head adapted to engage said guides and carrying a pair of pinions in mesh with said racks, whereby said trail may be quickly moved, Without affecting the position of said oscillating gun and cradle relative to the iii) ground, from a normaliraised' position for'firing with said transportation means inplace to a lowered emplaced position with the -transporta-.

tion means removed for anti-aircraft firing; a plurality of auxiliary trails, and means for securing said auxiliary trails to-said main trail in:

spread position when, the latter is in lowered position, both saidmain and said auxiliary trails being so located when-in emplaced position'as to" permit said oscillating gun 'andcradle to pivot freely thereabove for firingat aerial objectives'atlating gun and cradle pivotallyrmounted on said bearing, transportation means detachably connected to said bearing, a single maintrail havinga head secured to said bearing, means for raising and lowering saidf-trail headrelative to said bearing from a normal raised position for firing Withsaid transportation means in" place to alowered emplaced position with the trans-Y portation means removed for anti-aircraft firing,

said means being so constructed and arranged that the movements of said trail are accoma plished without afiectin'g the position of the oscillating gun and cradle with respect to the ground and without disconnecting said trail from said bearing, and aplurality of auxiliary trails connected to a portion ofthegun carriage that is fixed during firing for movement aboutsubstantially vertical axes to and from a spread emplaced position when said main trail is in lowered position, all of said trails being so located when in emplaced position as to permit said oscillating gun and cradletopivot freely thereabove for firing at aerial objectives at any altitude and azimuth.

10. In a gun carriage, a pintlebearing, an"

oscillating gun and cradle pivotally mounted on said bearing, transportation means detachably connected to said bearing, a single main trail;

having a head secured to said bearing, means for raising and lowering said trail head relative to said bearing, without affecting theposition of said oscillating gun and cradle relative to the ground, from a normal raised position for firing with said transportation means in place'to a lowered emplaced position with the transportation means removed for anti-aircraft firing, a plurality of auxiliary trails connected to said 7 main trail for'movement about substantially vertical axes to and from a spread emplaced position with respect to said main trail when the latter is inlowered position, andanother auxiliary trail adaptedto be detachably connected to said main trail to extend substantially collinearly therewith and in the opposite direction from saidbearing, all of said trails being so 10- said oscillating gun and cradle relative to the ground, from a normal raised position for firing with said transportation means in place to a low r ered emplaced position, with the transportation means removed for anti-aircraft firing, a plu-' rality of auxiliary trails permanently connected to said main trail for movement'about substantially vertical axes to and from a spread em placed position substantially at right angles'to said main trail when the latter is in lower d position, and another auxiliary trail adapted to be detachably connected to both said main trail and: said bearing to extend substantially collinearly with said main trail and in the opposite direc--.

tion from said bearing, whereby a substantially cross-shaped emplacement 'is provided, all of said trails being so located when in emplaced positionas to permit said oscillating gun and having a head secured to said bearing, means for raising and lowering said head relative to said bearing, without' affecting the position of said oscillating gun and cradle relative to the ground, from anormal raised position for firing with said transportation means in place to a lowered emplaced position with the transportation means. removed for anti-aircraft firing, and a plurality of auxiliary trails carried by and pivotally mounted with respect to said main trail head'for movement. to and from asp'read emplaced p'osition when said head is in lowered position, all

of said trails being so locatedwhen in emplaced position as to permitisaidhoscillating gun and cradle to pivot freely thereab'ove for firing at aerial objectives at anyaltitude and azimuth.

i3. a gun carriage, a pintle bearing, anoscillating" gun and cradle pivotally mounted on connected to said bearing, ,alsingle main trail leg having a headsecured tosaid bearing, means for raising and lowering said head relative to said bearing, without affecting the position of said oscillating gunand cradle relative to the,

tion means removed for anti-aircraft, firing, .a

'said bearing, transportation means detachably plurality of members carried by and slidably displaceable transversely to said main trail head, and an auxiliary trail pivotally connected to each of said members formovement to and from a spread emplaced position with respect to said main trail when the latter is in lowered position,

at aerial objectives at any altitude'and azimuth. V

14. In a gun carriage, a pintle bearing,- an oscillating gun and cradle pivotally mounted on said bearing, transportation means detachably connected to said bearing, a single main trail leg having a head secured to said bearing, means for raising and lowering said head relative to said hearing, without affecting the position of said oscillating gun and cradle relative to the ground, from a normal raised position for firing with said transportation means in'place to a lowered emplaced position with the transportation means removed for anti-aircraft firing, a plurality of members carried by and slidably displaceable transversely to said main trail head, an auxiliary trail pivotally connected to each of said members for movement to and from a spread emplaced position substantially at right angles to said main trail when the latter is in lowered position, and another auxiliary trail adapted to be detachably connected to both said main trail head andsaid bearing to extend substantially collinearly with said main trail and in the opposite direction from said bearing, all of said trails being so located when in emplaced position as to permit said oscillating gun and cradle to pivot freely thereabove for firing at aerialobjectives at any altitude and azimuth.

15. In a gun carriage, a pintle bearing, an oscillating gun and cradle pivotally mounted on said bearing, transportation means detachably connected to said bearing, a single main trail leg having a head secured to said bearing, means for raising and lowering said head relative to said bearing, without affecting the position of-said oscillating gun and cradle relative to the ground, from a normal raised position for firing with said transportation means in place to'a lowered emplaced position with the transportation means removed for anti-aircraft firing, aplurality of arcuate members carriedby and extending trans-' versely to said main trail head, an auxiliary trail pivotally connected to each of'said members for' movement to and from a spread emplaced position with respect to said main trail when the latter is lowered position, and means for moving lating gun and'cradle pivotally mounted on said bearing, transportation means detachably connected to said bearing, a single main trail leg hav- 7 ing a head secured to-said bearing, means for raising and lowering said head'relative to said transportation means in place to a lowered emplaced position with the transportation means removed for anti-aircraft firing,- a plurality of arcuate members carried by and extending trans versely to said main' trail head, an auxiliary trail pivotally connected to each of said members for movement to and from a spread emplaced position with respect to said main trail when the latter is in lowered position, means for individually displacing each of'said arcuate members transversely with respect to said trail head to adjust the position of said auxiliary trail feet when in spread position, and, another" auxiliary trail adapted to be detachably connected to said main trail head to extend on the opposite side of said bearing therefrom, all of said trails being so located when in emplaced position as to permit said oscillating gun and cradle to pivot freely thereabove for firing'at aerial objectives at any altitude and azimuth. j a

17. In a gun carriage of the type embodying a pintle bearing, an oscillatingpgun and cradle, a' main trail and transportation means detachably secured to said bearing, an auxiliary trail structure adapted to be detachably secured to said main trail and bearing when the gun is in emplaced position for firing at aerial objectives comprising an auxiliary trail head, means for detachably securing said head to both said bearing and said main trail, and a plurality of auxiliary trail legs pivotally secured to said head and adapted to be spread apart to anchor the gun carriagev when in positionfor anti-aircraft firing.

18. In a guncarriage of the type embodying a pintle bearing, .an oscillating gun and cradle, a main trail and transportation means detachably secured to said bearing, an auxiliary trail.

structure adapted to be detachably secured to said main trail and bearing when the gun is in emplaced position for firing at aerial objectives 

